Apple increases price of apps

01.You'll pay more for iOS and Mac apps

You’ll have to reach deeper into your virtual wallet for iPhone and iPad apps from 3 April, following across-the- board price increases in Apple’s App Store for Australia.

Apps formerly costing 99 cents now cost consumers $1.29, effectively bringing to an end the era of the sub-$1 app, which played a big part in popularising the app store. Other pricing tiers are also affected, with $1.99 apps rising to $2.49 (up 25%); while $2.99 apps increase to $3.79 (up 26%) and $4.49 apps rise to $4.99 (up 11%).

Apple included the increase with its overnight update of its iWork productivity apps (Pages, Numbers and Keynote) with the new iOS versions costing $12.99 each, up from $10 for the previous version. The desktop versions for OS X are now at $24.99 each on the Mac App Store, up from $20. Updates are free for existing users.

Apple reportedly cited changes in foreign exchange rates for the increases in an email sent to app developers. The price changes affect several countries apart from Australia, including India, Indonesia, Turkey and South Africa. New Zealand and Israel fare better, however, with some price drops.

The price changes affect Mac, iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch devices. The move comes almost three years after Apple reduced its App Store pricing in Australia by up to 25%.

CHOICE apps buck price-rise trend

There's one app in the App Store that you won't find yourself paying more for, and that's CHOICE's own digital magazine app. In fact, issues of CHOICE Magazine and CHOICE Computer Magazine for iPad have both seen a price reduction, from $10.49 down to $9.99, effective from April.